Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. One week after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to several news media outlets and US Congress officials. The 2001 Anthrax attacks, also known as Amerithrax, killed five Americans and infected 17 others in what became the worst act of bioterrorism in US history. The public health and law enforcement investigations led to impactful scientific advances and strengthened the government's efforts in preparing for and preventing future biological attacks.
Focusing on the biology of anthrax infection and epidemiologic timeline of cases, my process integrated data visualization, 3D modelling, molecular visualization, and biological pathway illustration to create a visually compelling scientific story.
The case data used in this project is based on the epidemiological findings from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax, United States, 2001. To provide additional context, I also incorporated details about when and where the anthrax spore-containing letters were mailed, based on the timeline in the United States Department of Justice's Amerithrax Investigative Summary.
I created the 3D model of the Bacillus anthracis chain using Autodesk Maya and Mudbox. I applied a translucent green shader for the bacterial capsules to show the interior structures, such as the endospore, DNA, plasmids, and ribosomes. The translucent red-orange shader for the anthrax spores echoes the color of the schematic anthrax spores and that used to identify the epicenters.
Bacillus anthracis' ability to cause disease relies on three toxin components: edema factor, lethal factor, and protective antigen. I downloaded these proteins' 3D structural data from the Protein Data Bank (PDB), used ChimeraX to visualize them, and rendered the models using Autodesk Maya.
In contrast to the intricate 3D models of the bacteria and toxin proteins, I decided to illustrate the pathogenic pathway of anthrax using a simple schematic style. Each icon's color corresponds to its respective 3D model elsewhere in the infographic.
One of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of this project was bringing together all of the content I wanted to include into one visually cohesive infographic. Before rendering the models and illustrations, I experimented with various layouts and created a refined sketch of the layout with the final text added for spacing.
